Observations on the biology of Postharmostomum ntowi Hodasi, 1967 (Trematoda: Brachylaimidae) based on intermediate and definitive hosts found in Nigeria

Alari, E. O.; Ugbomeh, A. P.; Awharitoma, A. O.; Enabulele, E. E.; Aisien, M.S.O.

doi:10.2478/helm-2023-0006

Figures & Tables

A - Branched cercariogenous sporocysts of P. ntowi from L. aurora; B - Cercariae within a sporocyst; C.Cercaria; D. Metacercaria. Scale Bar: A, B = 0.5mm; C= 0.1 mm; D = 0.05 mm

Developing stages of Postharmostomum ntowi recovered from the experimental host (Gallus gallus domesticus) after: A - 7days; B - 14 days; C - 21 days and D - 28 days post-infection. Scale bars: A= 0.5 mm; B-D = 1mm

Adult Postharmostomum ntowi recovered from naturally infected Gallus gallus domesticus purchased from Ase, Delta State, Nigeria. Scale bar: 1 mm

Parasite recovery from infected chicks 7, 14, 21 and 28 days post-infection_

Chicks	Parasite recovery days post-infection								Total	Recovery rate (%)

	7^th day		14^th		21^st		28^th
Set 1	1	15	-	-	-	-	-	-	16	16
Set 2	-	-	1	7	-	-	-	-	8	8
Set 3	-	-	-	-	2	15	-	-	17	17
Set 4	-	-	-	-	-	-	7	12	19	19

Measurement of metacercariae of Postharmostomum ntowi from Limicolaria aurora collected from Ase, Delta State, Nigeria_

Characters	Ase

	Mean±SD	Range
Body Length (BL)	1387.6±271	938–2157
Greatest width	613.1 ± 85.8	938–2157
Forebody length (FBL)	563.5 ± 102.9	375–830.8
FBL as % t age of BL	40.8 ± 3.1	34.6–47.1
Oral sucker length (OSL)	253.3 ± 43.7	147.4–294.8
Oral sucker width (OSW)	260.0 ± 43.6	160.8–335.0
Ventral sucker length	167.2 ± 24.9	107.2–207.7
Ventral sucker width	170.5 ± 20.8	120.6–214.4
OSW/VSW ratio	1.5 ± 0.1	1.2–1.8
DBS	298.8 ± 90.2	174.2–522.6
Pharynx length	130 ± 22.2	80.4–160.8
Pharynx width	126.3 ± 20.8	80.4–160.8

Comparison of the morphometrics of P_ ntowi from experimental and natural infections in Nigeria with the Ghanian specimens_

Parameters	Natural infections (Ghana)	28^th day post-infection in chicks (Nigeria)		Natural infection (Nigeria) (this study)

	Range	Range	Mean±SD	Range	Mean±SD
Body length (BL)	6300–11100	5600–700	6600±800	7100–10000	8600±900
Maximum width	1700–3100	1400–2100	1600±230	1800–2700	2200±400
Oral sucker length	840–1130	600–830	720±90	1000–1200	1000±60
Oral sucker width	780–1070	570–930	790-±120	1000–1400	1100±100
Ventral sucker length	560–880	500–600	550±40	600–800	700±80
Ventral sucker width	533–780	470–730	550±80	530–830	700±100
OSW/VSV ratio	-	1100–1700	1500±200	1400–2600	1700±300
Distance between suckers	-	800–1330	1110±190	1100–1700	1400±200
Forebody length (FBL)	-	1770–2100	1940±120	2100–2900	2500±200
FBL as percentage of BL	-	25.9–34.5	29.6±2.9	25.7–34.5	29.7±3.0
Pharynx length	400–630	370–470	410±40	500–700	600±70
Pharyx width	400–590	330–470	400±41	400–600	500±50
Oesophagus length	-	30–130	90±40	70–130	90±3
Anterior testis length	470–1180	430–630	520±80	500–1000	700±200
Anterior testis width	440–1000	400–600	510±70	330–730	900±200
Posterior testis length	810–1380	400–600	470±70	500–800	700±120
Posterior testis width	560–1030	500–900	780±15	700–1600	1100±240
Cirrus pouch length	350–740	570–670	630±38	600–1030	800±140
Cirrus pouch width	290–590	530–670	640±53	600–1300	900±200
Ovary length	400–650	330–530	400±76	400–700	600±100
Ovary width	300–520	370–430	390±32	300–600	500±100
Egg length	23–33	-	-	30–35	30±3
Egg width	15–19	-	-	13–20	17±2

Morphometric measurement of Postharmostomum ntowifrom experimental hosts and hosts with natural infections_

Parameters	7 days (n=5		14 days (n=7)		21 days (n=7)		28 days (n=8)		Natural infections (n=11)

	Mean±SD	Range	Mean±SD	Range	Mean±SD	Range	Mean±SD	Range	Mean±SD	Range
Body Length (BL)	2458±202	2164–273	3510±389	2930–4029	5865±1010	4562–7192	6639±865	5561–7726	8639.8±927	7060–10089
Body width	729±45	683–799	899±94.2	766–1032	1517±270	1199–1864	1640±229	1432–2098	2183±363	1765–2731
Forebody length (FBL)	1026±119	866–1199	1246±88	1132–-1365	1755±286	1399–2231	1944±123	1764–2098	2546±219.	2098–2930
FBL as %tage of BL	41.6±1.44	40.0–43.9	35.7±2.59	32.2–39.0	30.1±1.79	26.7–32.1	29.6±2.9	25.9–34.5	29.7±3.0	25.7–34.5
Oral sucker length	446.2±44.7	399.6–499.5	528.0±30.0	466.2–566.1	675.5±65.8	599.4–765.9	720.1±90.7	599.4–832.5	1044.4±60.1	965.7–1165.5
Oral sucker width	456.2±49.4	383.0–499.5	551.8±24.4	532.8–599.4	761.1±107.8	632.7–932.4	786.7±115.3	566.1–932.4	1135.2±113.9	990.0–1365.3
Ventral sucker length	273.4±15.3	254.6–294.8	423.2±210.1	335.0–899.1	480.5±68.9	399.6–566.1	553.6±35.3	499.5–599.4	678.1±84.6	566.1–832.5
Ventra sucker width	273.4±26.1	227.8–294.8	358.0±27.6	321.6–388.6	518.5±76.6	399.6–599.4	545.3±81.4	466.2–732.6	687.2±96.8	532.8–832.5
OSW/VSW ratio	1.7±0.2	1.3–1.9	1.6±0.1	1.4–1.7	1.5±0.1	1.3–1.6	1.5±0.2	1.1–1.7	1.7±0.3	1.4–2.6
Pharynx length	203.7±27.5	174.2–227.8	260.3±24.3	214.4–281.4	399.6±19.2	366.3–432.9	407.9±42.7	366.3–466.2	560.0±66.3	466.2–666.0
Pharynx width	243.9±25.8	214.4–281.4	279.5±27.3	254.6–321.6	383.0±31.9	333.0–432.9	403.8±41.5	333.0–466.6	469.2±54.6	366.6–566.1
Distance between suckers	576.1±87.8	466.2–699.3	718.3±74.1	632.7–832.5	980.0±186.3	765.9–1265.4	1111.4±188.3	799.2–1332.0	1416.±186.2	1065.6–1665.0
Oesophagus length	48.2±20.3	26.8–80.4	38.0±15.7	26.8–67.0	85.6±26.2	66.6–133.2	86.6±38.0	33.3–133.2	92.3±25.1	66.6–133.2
Cirrus length	-	-	-	-	507.8±106.6	399.6–599.4	627.±38.9	566.1–666.0	812.5±137.0	566.1–1032.3
Cirrus width	-	-	-	-	591.1±147.4	432.9–732.6	638.3±53.3	532.8–666.0	865.8±194.2	566.1–1298.7
Anterior testis length	-	-	-	-	541.1±116.6	399.6–666.0	521.7±80.7	432.9–632.7	716.0±160.3	499.5–999.0
Anterior testis width	-	-	-	-	582.8±79.3	499.5–666.0	510.6±71.9	399.6–599.4	899.1±201.6	699.3–1398.6
Posterior testis length	-	-	-	-	557.8±187.1	399.6–765.9	471.8±74.2	399.6–599.4	722.6±115.4	532.8–832.5
Posterior testis width	-	-	-	-	757±298.3	499.5–1032.3	782.6±151.5	499.5–899.1	1115.6±235..6	732.6–1565.1
Ovary length	-	-	-	-	416.3±69.3	333.0–499.5	399.6±75.9	333.0–532.8	559.4±96.5	432.9–732.6
Ovary width	-	-	-	-	474.5±50.0	432.9–532.8	394.1±32.7	366.3–432.9	462.9±90.8	299.7–566.1
Egg length	-	-	-	-	-	-	-	-	30.5±2.5	26.8–34.8
Egg width	-	-	-	-	-	-	-	-	17.2±2.3	13.4–20.1

Snail hosts examined for larval brachylaimid infections from Ase and Tombia (Metacercariae in Archachatina spp_; cercariae and metacercariae combined in Limicolaria sp_; details given under results)

Host	Ase	Tombia	Total No examined	No. infected	Prevalence (%)	Mean Intensity
A. marginata	04	-	04	3	75.0	4.33
A. papyracea	04	-	04	2	50.0	120.8
L. aurora	30	-	30	25	83.3	98.6±47.3
Limicolaria sp.	-	22	22	22	100	39.9±9.1
T. oscitans	02	-	02	-	-	-

Observations on the biology of Postharmostomum ntowi Hodasi, 1967 (Trematoda: Brachylaimidae) based on intermediate and definitive hosts found in Nigeria

Figures & Tables

Fig. 1.

Fig. 2.

Fig. 3.

Parasite recovery from infected chicks 7, 14, 21 and 28 days post-infection_

Measurement of metacercariae of Postharmostomum ntowi from Limicolaria aurora collected from Ase, Delta State, Nigeria_

Comparison of the morphometrics of P_ ntowi from experimental and natural infections in Nigeria with the Ghanian specimens_

Morphometric measurement of Postharmostomum ntowifrom experimental hosts and hosts with natural infections_

Snail hosts examined for larval brachylaimid infections from Ase and Tombia (Metacercariae in Archachatina spp_; cercariae and metacercariae combined in Limicolaria sp_; details given under results)

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